Punta Cana consolidated its leadership, Miches emerged as a green hub, Puerto Plata was reborn with a diverse identity, and Pedernales began to materialize as the largest planned project in decades.
SANTO DOMINGO. – During 2025, tourism in the country flourished thanks to the expansion, resilience, and investments received by its four most important destinations , both established and new, redefining the tourism identity with plurality and balance.
In his year-end speech, Tourism Minister David Collado highlighted that the Dominican Republic received 10,284,251 visitors between January and November, a figure that represents a growth of 52% compared to 2019, 13% compared to 2023 and 3.1% compared to 2024.
Of the total, 7,884,421 arrived by air and 2,399,830 were cruise ship passengers, an increase of 153% compared to pre-pandemic levels, and it was projected that the country will close the year with more than 12 million international visitors, a record year for Dominican tourism.
But this is not just a country that's growing in numbers. Over the past year, it has redrew its tourism offerings map , with established destinations, others that have reinvented themselves, and still others that were born great. Each, in its own way, embodies the virtues of this land:
Punta Cana , the giant of the East, remains the engine of the Caribbean with its mature infrastructure and its ability to attract global capital. It has consolidated its leadership.
– Puerto Plata and the Amber Coast , the pioneering combination of city, culture, and sea, with an authentic character that celebrates the diversity of the north. A true renaissance.
– Miches, the emerging green space, offers low-density luxury and unspoiled nature, responding to the international desire for sustainability and exclusivity. It arrived with momentum and great force.
– Pedernales/Cabo Rojo , the laboratory of the future, is emerging as a national project: planned luxury, protected nature, and the promise of a new tourist destination in southern Peru. The largest planned project in decades.
The official sector and businesses are aiming to receive more than 12 million international visitors and are preparing for this by diversifying the offerings and creating hubs that respond to different demands of the global market.
Punta Cana: the giant that sets the pace of the Caribbean
“Punta Cana continues to be the engine of our tourism economy,” declared Minister David Collado at FITUR 2025, highlighting that the destination accounts for the majority of air arrivals and attracts the largest share of hotel and residential investment. In 2025, Punta Cana maintained its dominant position as the leading recipient of international tourists.
New openings such as the W Punta Cana Adult All-Inclusive, hotel renovations and the expansion of the luxury segment reinforced its leadership.
However, the year made it clear that the destination faces structural limitations : overcrowding during peak seasons, pressure on road and urban infrastructure, and environmental challenges linked to the intensive use of the coastline. “The challenge is no longer growth in volume, but in sustainability,” Collado warned.
Miches: the emerging star demanding the spotlight
“Private investment in Miches already exceeds one billion dollars,” Minister Collado confirmed in his annual report, emphasizing that the destination is positioning itself as green luxury and low density, with pristine beaches and a sustainability narrative.
The opening of the 538-room Viva Miches by Wyndham in June 2025, and Marriott's 498-room Miches Beach project, marked a turning point. With more than 2,500 rooms in operation by the end of 2025, the area is projected to be one of the fastest-growing in 2026.
Miches has moved beyond being just a promising destination and is now firmly established as a burgeoning one . The challenge will be to maintain that promise: protecting ecosystems and ensuring community participation.
Puerto Plata and the Amber Coast: the second chance
“Puerto Plata, although historically renowned, needed a new identity to project itself to the world. Costa del Ámbar is the tourism face that will strengthen its international positioning,” said the Minister at Fitur 2025, when presenting the Costa del Ámbar project.
Puerto Plata, a pioneer of Dominican tourism , experienced a rebirth in 2025. The Amber Cove and Taino Bay cruise ports, the revitalization of the boardwalk, the revaluation of Cabarete as the capital of water sports, and new investments in boutique hotels brought dynamism back to that part of the north.
The challenge will be to maintain this second chance with a clear brand strategy and improvements in air connectivity.
Pedernales / Cabo Rojo: the laboratory and planning
In the southwest, Pedernales is progressing as the country's most ambitious tourism project in 40 years and also represents a commitment to planned development. With an estimated investment of US$2.245 billion, the Cabo Rojo master plan includes an already operational cruise port, an international airport under construction, basic infrastructure built from scratch, and a long-term projection of 12,000 hotel rooms.
“The south is the country’s next tourist frontier,” declared President Luis Abinader at the inauguration of the first phase of the cruise port.
By 2025, Pedernales had already welcomed cruise ships and generated thousands of jobs in construction and services. It represents a government investment in a luxury and nature-based destination. However, it faces challenges: economic viability, environmental protection, community integration, and political continuity.
The year 2025 saw a reshaping of the Dominican Republic's tourism landscape, and the country diversified its offerings, which has undoubtedly strengthened its regional leadership. " 2025 wasn't just another year of growth; it was the year the Dominican Republic redrew its tourism map," Collado summarized in his year-end address on December 2nd.
